POF SLOOP HMS SPEEDWELL 1752 - PROTOTYPE WIP - SYREN MODELLING COMPANY

There are several of Chuck's stellar models offered at very reasonable prices by today's standards from Model Shipways. I built the Queen Anne royal barge (a Syren model, not from MS), a fun, challenging, but no more than a three-month investment in time. (I have posted pictures of the finished model on the finished models forum) The price was very reasonable. I bought the extra set of laser-cut planks and that proved worth the extra investment without straining the purse strings. I emailed Chuck with updates and progress pictures and found him to be very personable, interested and encouraging. A much more personal investment of his time and interest than one might otherwise expect from the head of a commercial venture.
 
Tobias said:
€350 to $2500 is a huge price difference in my opinion.
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The timber is nomally the cheapest part on a kit. Now the really costs begin
  • developement costs. I do not know what an hour for a good designer costs in the US, but I think it‘s nearly the same as in Europe.
  • Run time costs for the machines, including investment
  • Energy
  • Packaging and checking of the parts,
  • …
A lot of companies let produce their kits in countries where theses costs are lower, than in the US or Western Europe. If you have a small business you normally do not have the possibility.

I like the designs from Chuck and have differnt kits at home.
 
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If you leave the price aspect aside of the discussion (I think this is always a personal consideration) but the overall quality, materials and building plan / construction are of the highest level to me. There is lot's of room to expand or change on the basis of the kit. It's a masterpiece and in a league of it's own to me personally.

However, I give the man all the credits he deserves! A great "pioneer" kitmaker and modeler, but mostly for many also a mentor or inspiration. :)
 
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More importantly, ship structure design and sculpture modeling are two different fields of expertise, and 99% of designers cannot master both paths at the same time. Of course, besides myself, our design costs can be almost negligible。
1/96 Enterprise, it only took 25 days from NMM to obtain the drawings and put them on shelves. That's why our product is priced low
 
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